Use transportation bicycle as a platform for customization is hardly a new idea. But we’re still impressed whenever a custom builder manages to turn a modest running bike into a powerful custom motorcycle. And that’s exactly what TwentyTwo Custom did with this Kymco flat track.
This isn’t the first time we’ve introduced a custom Kymco from TwentyTwo. This is a kind of spin-off; the first is called ‘Urban Driver’ and this one is ‘Urban Drifter Flat Track Edition.’
Based in Taiwan, TwentyTwo Custom is the custom motorcycle arm of apparel brand Persist Motorcycle Company. Just like before, they teamed up with Tough Tracker in Taichung to remake Kymco’s KTR 150 commuter car.
At the risk of saying the obvious, the idea was to build another Kymco in almost the same style as before, but with a strong sense of flatline. “I wanted a bike that could be used in dirt races, but could also be used on the street,” says TwentyTwo lead designer Dong Lin. So while this Kymco looks like a dirty machine, it only needs a few tweaks to become street legal.
Step one was to correct the posture of the Kymco KTR 150. The team installed a new set of new Dunlop K180 rubber wheels, measuring 19” front and 18” rear. The rear wheel of a flat tracker is usually 19″, but TwentyTwo is aiming for a more flexible setup.
The rear end also has a longer swingarm, courtesy of one of our other favorite Taiwanese custom shops, 2LOUD Custom. 2LOUD has launched itself into the world of parts manufacturing and the rear gripper is a bolting part for the Kymco KTR series. The elegant chain guard is another 2LOUD item available.
A new pair of MJP shocks prop up the rear, which sits perfectly parallel to the bike’s main frame thanks to a revised swingarm shape. Single Brembo brakes are on duty at the rear.
The front fork is original, save for the plastic fork guard. The fork lowering unit still wears the original brake calipers, but that’s not due to lazy builders. The front brake system is stored, ready to be installed when the bike needs to be on duty on the street.
As for the body, the team adjusted the fuel tank of the Honda CB100 to match the Kymco’s frame. Behind it is a fiberglass tail piece from another Taiwanese outfit, twisted company It is finished with a plush elk leather seat pad and the subframe has been trimmed to match it.
The sides are flanked by a black painted aluminum number plate, crafted to perfectly match the contours of the flat rear end. A pair of drill mounting plates hold them in place.
TwentyTwo Custom and Tough Tracker also removed the car’s speedometer and headlights, adding an alloy number plate in place of the headlights. However, they wired into a special connector so the headlights could be plugged in for a few minutes. The black painted handlebars are TwentyTwo’s own design, while the cube grips come from Oury.
Looking closely, you’ll also spot the license plate holder and custom Honda CRF300L taillights hidden under the tail unit. The small LED turn signal light is located just below the front number plate and just behind the rear-mounted upper shock absorber. Completing everything is a custom exhaust tip, which ends with a sleek Supertrapp muffler.
Although TwentyTwo Custom has already started building another Urban Drifter, they have gone a few steps further in the design. The key parts in this build may come from different sources, but they fit together very well. The overall aesthetic is compact and playful, with just the right amount of paint and graphics to keep things interesting.
That’s another win for TwentyTwo and another reason to love small, unassuming bikes.
Instagram Kien Tri Motorcycle Company
